Ubisoft Announces Layoffs at San Francisco and Red Storm Entertainment Studios
Ubisoft has recently confirmed another wave of layoffs impacting its San Francisco and Cary studios, with the latter being more commonly known as Red Storm Entertainment. This marks the second instance of layoffs within the company this year, with this round specifically targeting these two studios.
45 Staff Affected Across Two Studios
On August 16, Ubisoft Entertainment made the decision to lay off a total of 45 employees across Ubisoft San Francisco and Red Storm Entertainment. While the exact distribution of layoffs between the two studios remains undisclosed, indications from social media point towards a majority being at Red Storm.
In a statement provided to Bloomberg, Ubisoft explained that these layoffs were a “difficult yet necessary decision” aimed at aligning the studios’ organizations with their future business and development goals. The affected employees were immediately let go, prompting them to seek new job opportunities despite receiving severance packages and career assistance from Ubisoft.
Studio Profiles and Impact on Projects
Ubisoft San Francisco is responsible for developing the free-to-play multiplayer arena shooter XDefiant and the Rocksmith franchise. On the other hand, Red Storm Entertainment was behind the development of the canceled free-to-play shooter The Division Heartland, along with previous work on the Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six franchises. The layoffs have affected a variety of roles, including Creative Director Keith Evans, game designers, and marketing personnel.
This round of job cuts comes after an earlier instance this year where 45 employees were laid off from Ubisoft’s Global Publishing central and APAC structures. In the previous year, layoffs impacted various departments such as customer service in North Carolina and Newcastle, community and social media teams, Ubisoft Montreal, and special effects studio Hybride, leading to the complete closure of Ubisoft London.
Staff Reduction Numbers
During its full-year financial results released in May, Ubisoft disclosed a total reduction of 1700 roles since 2022, with staff cuts accounting for approximately 1,000 of those positions.